What do you think?
Rate this book
الحصن المرصود
Andrea tried to harden herself to her cousin Clare's appeal for help. She'd been getting her out of scrapes for too long.
Still, she couldn't just sit back and let Blaise Levallier blackmail Clare into marriage, and destroy the lives of people she loved. She could go to France and confront him. She wouldn't let him get away with it.
It wasn't quite that simple. For Blaise wanted a wife. "Your cousin has decided not to fulfill her obligation to me," he said, "so I will take you, instead!"
Still, she couldn't just sit back and let Blaise Levallier blackmail Clare into marriage, and destroy the lives of people she loved. She could go to France and confront him. She wouldn't let him get away with it.
It wasn't quite that simple. For Blaise wanted a wife. "Your cousin has decided not to fulfill her obligation to me," he said, "so I will take you, instead!"
154 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1977
3 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
About the author
Sara Craven
493 books266 followersAnne Bushell was born on October 1938 in South Devon, England, just before World War II and grew up in a house crammed with books. She was always a voracious reader, some of her all-time favorites books are: "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen, "Middlemarch" by George Eliot, "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë, "Gone With the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell and "The Code of the Woosters" by P. G. Wodehouse.
She worked as journalist at the Paignton Observer, but after her marriage, she moved to the north of England, where she worked as teacher. After she returned to journalism, she joined the Middlesbrough Writers' Group, where she met other romance writer Mildred Grieveson (Anne Mather). She started to wrote romance, and she had her first novel "Garden of Dreams" accepted by Mills & Boon in 1975, she published her work under the pseudonym of Sara Craven. In 2010 she became chairman of the Southern Writers' Conference, and the next year was elected the twenty-six Chairman (2011–2013) of the Romantic Novelists' Association.
Divorced twice, Annie lives in Somerset, South West England, and shares her home with a West Highland white terrier called Bertie Wooster. In her house, she had several thousand books, and an amazing video collection. When she's not writing, she enjoys watching very old films, listening to music, going to the theatre, and eating in good restaurants. She also likes to travel in Europe, to inspire her romances, especially in France, Greece and Italy where many of her novels are set. Since the birth of her twin grandchildren, she is also a regular visitor to New York City, where the little tots live. In 1997, she was the overall winner of the BBC's Mastermind, winning the last final presented by Magnus Magnusson.
She worked as journalist at the Paignton Observer, but after her marriage, she moved to the north of England, where she worked as teacher. After she returned to journalism, she joined the Middlesbrough Writers' Group, where she met other romance writer Mildred Grieveson (Anne Mather). She started to wrote romance, and she had her first novel "Garden of Dreams" accepted by Mills & Boon in 1975, she published her work under the pseudonym of Sara Craven. In 2010 she became chairman of the Southern Writers' Conference, and the next year was elected the twenty-six Chairman (2011–2013) of the Romantic Novelists' Association.
Divorced twice, Annie lives in Somerset, South West England, and shares her home with a West Highland white terrier called Bertie Wooster. In her house, she had several thousand books, and an amazing video collection. When she's not writing, she enjoys watching very old films, listening to music, going to the theatre, and eating in good restaurants. She also likes to travel in Europe, to inspire her romances, especially in France, Greece and Italy where many of her novels are set. Since the birth of her twin grandchildren, she is also a regular visitor to New York City, where the little tots live. In 1997, she was the overall winner of the BBC's Mastermind, winning the last final presented by Magnus Magnusson.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 20, 2016
Andrea’s cousin has pen pal promised to marry a French guy. Take note, a pen pal promise is legally binding! This is really bad, because she wants to marry boring Peter, and the French guy, Blaise, has letters and will make trouble. It will definitely for sure bring shame to her parents, who are coincidentally Andrea’s beloved aunt and uncle! ‘How terrible,’ says Andrea, ‘so what’s this got to do with me?’
‘Well, prima facie, nothing,’ says the cousin, ‘but be a dear and go sort it out?’
Andrea takes leave from her PR job, and pops off to the scary region of France. And yes, if you just did a double take, and went back to check that the author is Sara Craven, omg I know!! And it was published in 1978, which seems even more revolutionary. I mean, PR! That means Andrea has finished school, done some tertiary education, is maybe even motivated to do something with her life other than stare glumly at her hands until some guy starts regularly impregnating her.
Of course, she’s not smart enough to gently explain to her cousin that ‘I’ll help you through this’ doesn’t mean ‘I will take your place and go to some remote Gothic French place and meet some guy who was crazy and vaguely threatening in his letters, while you don’t tell anyone where I am and go bridezilla and forget that I exist until after you’re back from your honeymoon, at which point you start wondering why you haven’t heard from me, and then sometime around Easter the ice melts in the remote frozen stream where my strangled and stabbed body has lain for the past SIX MONTHS, and I’m washed into the village pond and the gendarmerie give your parents a call and ask if they know how I came to be murdered?’ So I don’t put too much stock in her intellect.
Blaise has a remote and crumbling old Chateau. He is scarred (hot!) and totally cranky. He’s not falling for the girl swap, but he’ll take what he can get. He needs a wife so he can win the custody battle for his nephew. The custody battle is against the sister of his sister in law, as both the child’s parents are dead. Tragically, horribly dead. Later Andrea will discover, and obsess over the fact that the aunt on the other side has a romantic past with Blaise, and rejected him after the accident that left him scarred.
‘Why do you want your nephew to live with you, given you appear to hate all humananity?’ Andrea does not ask. She could also have asked ‘why would you select some English girl you’ve never met as the perfect candidate to nurture a highly traumatised young boy, who needs therapy, not middle class English girl magic?’
Andrea is awesomely ill-prepared to look after a child. ‘Where shall we put le petit?’ asks Blaise’s housekeeper. When an English girl arrives on your doorstep, you can safely defer any decision making about sleeping arrangements to her. ‘Hmm, tricky,’ says Andrea. ‘I know! Let’s put him in the remote and scary Gothic tower! That’s the PERFECT place for a child!’ To be (slightly) fair, Andrea has made this interesting decision before discovering that the remote and scary Gothic tower also has a cursed family legend of murder and death and a sad ghost.
That poor kid. He’s a sweet little thing but an absolute mess. He shows up with his aunt, who is super glamorous and evil. Andrea quickly decides that it’s only a matter of time before Blaise starts sleeping with her again, because there’s nothing more irresistible than a sexy body, a vile personality, and the woman you love saying ‘eww, your face is so gross, I can’t kiss it!’ when you wake after a traumatic accident.
Since Blaise is all cranky and growly and into the evil psychotic aunt, Andrea gets her own boyfriend. Equal opportunity jealousy! There’s a conveniently English man living in the gatehouse. Being English, he’s just perfect for Andrea. He's also very useful to have around during gothic adventures. Sadly, he doesn’t yell at her or glare, so he can’t really compete with Blaise.
Everything bubbles along being just a little bit gothic, and ends without Blaise and Andrea really liking each other all that much. Oh but sure, they are totally in love! Until the very end Andrea’s convinced that Blaise is at least as evil as the other woman. They both have wildly diverse ideas on parenting, but it’s a really big house so I’m sure it’ll all work out fine for them. And at least Andrea’s been in contact with her relatives and they know where she is. So the discovery of her strangled and stabbed corpse will at least be anticipated from around Christmas time, even if it still doesn’t show up until Easter.
‘Well, prima facie, nothing,’ says the cousin, ‘but be a dear and go sort it out?’
Andrea takes leave from her PR job, and pops off to the scary region of France. And yes, if you just did a double take, and went back to check that the author is Sara Craven, omg I know!! And it was published in 1978, which seems even more revolutionary. I mean, PR! That means Andrea has finished school, done some tertiary education, is maybe even motivated to do something with her life other than stare glumly at her hands until some guy starts regularly impregnating her.
Of course, she’s not smart enough to gently explain to her cousin that ‘I’ll help you through this’ doesn’t mean ‘I will take your place and go to some remote Gothic French place and meet some guy who was crazy and vaguely threatening in his letters, while you don’t tell anyone where I am and go bridezilla and forget that I exist until after you’re back from your honeymoon, at which point you start wondering why you haven’t heard from me, and then sometime around Easter the ice melts in the remote frozen stream where my strangled and stabbed body has lain for the past SIX MONTHS, and I’m washed into the village pond and the gendarmerie give your parents a call and ask if they know how I came to be murdered?’ So I don’t put too much stock in her intellect.
Blaise has a remote and crumbling old Chateau. He is scarred (hot!) and totally cranky. He’s not falling for the girl swap, but he’ll take what he can get. He needs a wife so he can win the custody battle for his nephew. The custody battle is against the sister of his sister in law, as both the child’s parents are dead. Tragically, horribly dead. Later Andrea will discover, and obsess over the fact that the aunt on the other side has a romantic past with Blaise, and rejected him after the accident that left him scarred.
‘Why do you want your nephew to live with you, given you appear to hate all humananity?’ Andrea does not ask. She could also have asked ‘why would you select some English girl you’ve never met as the perfect candidate to nurture a highly traumatised young boy, who needs therapy, not middle class English girl magic?’
Andrea is awesomely ill-prepared to look after a child. ‘Where shall we put le petit?’ asks Blaise’s housekeeper. When an English girl arrives on your doorstep, you can safely defer any decision making about sleeping arrangements to her. ‘Hmm, tricky,’ says Andrea. ‘I know! Let’s put him in the remote and scary Gothic tower! That’s the PERFECT place for a child!’ To be (slightly) fair, Andrea has made this interesting decision before discovering that the remote and scary Gothic tower also has a cursed family legend of murder and death and a sad ghost.
That poor kid. He’s a sweet little thing but an absolute mess. He shows up with his aunt, who is super glamorous and evil. Andrea quickly decides that it’s only a matter of time before Blaise starts sleeping with her again, because there’s nothing more irresistible than a sexy body, a vile personality, and the woman you love saying ‘eww, your face is so gross, I can’t kiss it!’ when you wake after a traumatic accident.
Since Blaise is all cranky and growly and into the evil psychotic aunt, Andrea gets her own boyfriend. Equal opportunity jealousy! There’s a conveniently English man living in the gatehouse. Being English, he’s just perfect for Andrea. He's also very useful to have around during gothic adventures. Sadly, he doesn’t yell at her or glare, so he can’t really compete with Blaise.
Everything bubbles along being just a little bit gothic, and ends without Blaise and Andrea really liking each other all that much. Oh but sure, they are totally in love! Until the very end Andrea’s convinced that Blaise is at least as evil as the other woman. They both have wildly diverse ideas on parenting, but it’s a really big house so I’m sure it’ll all work out fine for them. And at least Andrea’s been in contact with her relatives and they know where she is. So the discovery of her strangled and stabbed corpse will at least be anticipated from around Christmas time, even if it still doesn’t show up until Easter.
November 30, 2020
This one is hard to rate, much of it was excellent, but the bad was pretty intolerable. My best guess is that Sara was under the influence of Nine Coaches Waiting with this one, not a bad thing in theory though in this case the gothic elements turned out to be the most problematic portions of the book.
While the h, Andrea, isn't especially distinctive, she does exhibit many of my preferred heroine attributes: she's over 21 (just barely) with a degree and a nascent career, pragmatic, and resourceful. She's also hampered by the usual SC heroine weakness, an inability to distance herself from family members who when not actively evil, are invariably selfish, spoiled users of heroines with misplaced loyalty issues.
Blaise is in his late 30's, tall, dark, and bitter. He has a scarred face which he is very sensitive about while claiming not to be, a crumbling Chateau in Auvergne, and all his money is tied up turning a recently inherited estate into a vineyard/farming co-operative; Liberté, égalité, fraternité etc etc. Scratch that last because I don't think he has any friends and all his family is dead except a 4 yr old nephew who he is trying to extract from the clutches of his former sister-in-law. Basically he's lonely and all hopes for getting his nephew hinge upon his being married, which is a bummer because his fiancée left him while he was in hospital; she couldn't handle his scars. So it's to be a MOC then and SC hints at his abjectness, because his only recourse is to extract a promise of marriage from a penpal. What's not to like? Actually quite a bit, he's a prickly, threatening, intractable jerk, no wonder he has no friends! At this point I loved him.
The penpal was Andrea's cousin, Andrea finds herself in the potage because that's what happens to nice young women when SC gets a hold of them. Andrea pretends to be her cousin, it's un petit malentendu, Blaise isn't fooled, but needs must and Andrea will do just as well for Blaise. Better! Because according to Blaise, different bride, different terms. He's sure he sensed her physical response when he pushed her into that hedge to teach her some manners via the time-honored strategy of bruising kisses, so sex is definitely now part of the plan. Not so fast Monsieur! First we will be treated to an intriguing series of inscrutable moves, ill-considered countermoves and a coup de grâce that may or may not be what it appears.
There are other good things. Blaise is another brooding hero SC subtly disciplines by clothing him in uncharacteristic frilled shirts with dinner jackets, or maybe she just really loves the look, in any case it's my very favorite of all her fashion moments. And in addition to the subtle literary presence of Mary Stewart, and beyond the allusive; that the man doth protest too much that he doesn't care what people think about his face, there's the more specific and very apt reference to Hamlet and destroying someone by pouring poison into their ear.
Some of the flaws are minor, the time frame of the tragedies that twisted Blaise into the sardonic ogre he believes himself to be is exceedingly vague but no matter because there's a much greater impossible to overlook problem. Half-way through the book we finally meet Blaise's young nephew Phillipe and his aunt, the lovely and malignant Simone, who it turns out is also the ex-fiancée.
Now I have a strong preference for plots where the H and h are stranded in lovely, isolated hostility, maybe on an ice floe somewhere. Messy family dynamics are merely tolerable but if an author insists on plot moppets, DO NOT TERRORIZE THEM in order to accentuate the gothic. It was anxiety producing and I simply couldn't concentrate on Andrea and Blaise and their silly self-involved issues because I was too busy minding poor Phillipe, because someone had to. Also a parenting tip for Andrea, when two little boys get into a nasty argument, instead of stopping to comfort with buttered toast and impassioned kisses the 38 year old, next time follow the upset 4 year old heading out into the snow drifts.
While the h, Andrea, isn't especially distinctive, she does exhibit many of my preferred heroine attributes: she's over 21 (just barely) with a degree and a nascent career, pragmatic, and resourceful. She's also hampered by the usual SC heroine weakness, an inability to distance herself from family members who when not actively evil, are invariably selfish, spoiled users of heroines with misplaced loyalty issues.
Blaise is in his late 30's, tall, dark, and bitter. He has a scarred face which he is very sensitive about while claiming not to be, a crumbling Chateau in Auvergne, and all his money is tied up turning a recently inherited estate into a vineyard/farming co-operative; Liberté, égalité, fraternité etc etc. Scratch that last because I don't think he has any friends and all his family is dead except a 4 yr old nephew who he is trying to extract from the clutches of his former sister-in-law. Basically he's lonely and all hopes for getting his nephew hinge upon his being married, which is a bummer because his fiancée left him while he was in hospital; she couldn't handle his scars. So it's to be a MOC then and SC hints at his abjectness, because his only recourse is to extract a promise of marriage from a penpal. What's not to like? Actually quite a bit, he's a prickly, threatening, intractable jerk, no wonder he has no friends! At this point I loved him.
The penpal was Andrea's cousin, Andrea finds herself in the potage because that's what happens to nice young women when SC gets a hold of them. Andrea pretends to be her cousin, it's un petit malentendu, Blaise isn't fooled, but needs must and Andrea will do just as well for Blaise. Better! Because according to Blaise, different bride, different terms. He's sure he sensed her physical response when he pushed her into that hedge to teach her some manners via the time-honored strategy of bruising kisses, so sex is definitely now part of the plan. Not so fast Monsieur! First we will be treated to an intriguing series of inscrutable moves, ill-considered countermoves and a coup de grâce that may or may not be what it appears.
There are other good things. Blaise is another brooding hero SC subtly disciplines by clothing him in uncharacteristic frilled shirts with dinner jackets, or maybe she just really loves the look, in any case it's my very favorite of all her fashion moments. And in addition to the subtle literary presence of Mary Stewart, and beyond the allusive; that the man doth protest too much that he doesn't care what people think about his face, there's the more specific and very apt reference to Hamlet and destroying someone by pouring poison into their ear.
Some of the flaws are minor, the time frame of the tragedies that twisted Blaise into the sardonic ogre he believes himself to be is exceedingly vague but no matter because there's a much greater impossible to overlook problem. Half-way through the book we finally meet Blaise's young nephew Phillipe and his aunt, the lovely and malignant Simone, who it turns out is also the ex-fiancée.
Now I have a strong preference for plots where the H and h are stranded in lovely, isolated hostility, maybe on an ice floe somewhere. Messy family dynamics are merely tolerable but if an author insists on plot moppets, DO NOT TERRORIZE THEM in order to accentuate the gothic. It was anxiety producing and I simply couldn't concentrate on Andrea and Blaise and their silly self-involved issues because I was too busy minding poor Phillipe, because someone had to. Also a parenting tip for Andrea, when two little boys get into a nasty argument, instead of stopping to comfort with buttered toast and impassioned kisses the 38 year old, next time follow the upset 4 year old heading out into the snow drifts.
December 16, 2013
There was almost zero dialogue in this book and endless descriptions and internal monologues. I feel exhausted after reading this!
September 9, 2016
Old school with a touch of gothic. Poor Andrea is saddled with yet another feeble-minded cousin that needs rescuing due to poor choices. Somehow the idjit has found herself in a contract to get married via letters. I was skimming at the time so it didn't make sense to me. Of course, given this is a Harley-land MOC story set in the '70s it might not have made sense if I poured over it. We never see this stupid character again.
In order to save her aunt and uncle from mega shame, Andrea trots off to France where she ends up in a MOC so the big brooder H can get his nephew. The evil OW, truly a cow that needs to be put down, drives with nephew in tow.
I wish I I could rate it higher as the gothic elements were such a nice touch, but the hero is so cruel, dismissive, etc and blah, blah, blah, insert Harlequin brooding hero trope behavior, that I could not see why the h falls for him other than sheer chemistry.
Fade to black sex.
One scene that was quite funny and could have been pushed is when the evil OW and ward arrives. Andreas had just tried to light the main fireplace and was covered in soot; evil OW is as always fashion perfection. This would have been a nice element to grow on.
In order to save her aunt and uncle from mega shame, Andrea trots off to France where she ends up in a MOC so the big brooder H can get his nephew. The evil OW, truly a cow that needs to be put down, drives with nephew in tow.
I wish I I could rate it higher as the gothic elements were such a nice touch, but the hero is so cruel, dismissive, etc and blah, blah, blah, insert Harlequin brooding hero trope behavior, that I could not see why the h falls for him other than sheer chemistry.
Fade to black sex.
One scene that was quite funny and could have been pushed is when the evil OW and ward arrives. Andreas had just tried to light the main fireplace and was covered in soot; evil OW is as always fashion perfection. This would have been a nice element to grow on.
August 31, 2012
It was a good read although I was frustrated when the villain showed up. She was a heartless bitch and I kept shouting, get rid of her, get rid of her! She causes so much unnecessary drama and I wanted to smack her senseless. I'm glad the author allowed the hero and heroine to get some revenge. It was worth it, just for that scene alone.
January 14, 2023
3.5
This one was actually rather lovely. The pacing was bang on and the story satisfactory. Obviously you have to set aside the unbelievable initial set up (And if you've ever tried getting married in France as a non resident, non French person you'd be gnashing your teeth. Suffice to say even presenting in person at several different offices with several copies of several documents wouldn't be getting you far, never mind a church and civil ceremony within 3 days of arriving whilst initially pretending to be someone else. I digress.)
Your first sighting of the lovely Blaise is him standing brooding into a fireplace in riding boots. We are off to a cracking start. He's in profile and when he turns, the h (virginal but eminently practical Andrea) sees the other half of his face which is badly scarred.
The Auvergne 'castle' in which this is set is crumbling and unloved (much like the poor tortured H) and the only remaining family property since their plantation home (I know) in Martinique burnt down. The H needs a wife to bolster his intention of being guardian to his late brother's 5 year old son, currently living with the glamorous bitch OW.
There is passion (unrequited til the very end and pretty off page then) of the punishing kisses and sexual tension variety, and pathos (the H struggling with his self hatred). A young English researcher is a helpful prop (he doesn't intrude much), as are the family retainer servants. The poor child, Philippe, doesn't get half the attention and support he so clearly needs which is the only other real bugbear. I mean, he's five, I'm not sure him running off distressed while the h and H carry on without him would pass muster in modern parenting manuals. Eh bien, c'est une histoire, après tout.
This one was actually rather lovely. The pacing was bang on and the story satisfactory. Obviously you have to set aside the unbelievable initial set up (And if you've ever tried getting married in France as a non resident, non French person you'd be gnashing your teeth. Suffice to say even presenting in person at several different offices with several copies of several documents wouldn't be getting you far, never mind a church and civil ceremony within 3 days of arriving whilst initially pretending to be someone else. I digress.)
Your first sighting of the lovely Blaise is him standing brooding into a fireplace in riding boots. We are off to a cracking start. He's in profile and when he turns, the h (virginal but eminently practical Andrea) sees the other half of his face which is badly scarred.
The Auvergne 'castle' in which this is set is crumbling and unloved (much like the poor tortured H) and the only remaining family property since their plantation home (I know) in Martinique burnt down. The H needs a wife to bolster his intention of being guardian to his late brother's 5 year old son, currently living with the glamorous bitch OW.
There is passion (unrequited til the very end and pretty off page then) of the punishing kisses and sexual tension variety, and pathos (the H struggling with his self hatred). A young English researcher is a helpful prop (he doesn't intrude much), as are the family retainer servants. The poor child, Philippe, doesn't get half the attention and support he so clearly needs which is the only other real bugbear. I mean, he's five, I'm not sure him running off distressed while the h and H carry on without him would pass muster in modern parenting manuals. Eh bien, c'est une histoire, après tout.
March 7, 2013
راوية جميلة جدا
April 21, 2021
(read in french, under the title « Andréa et la peur d'aimer »)
Slowly but surely, I go towards the end of my vintage Harlequin box, and now reached those whose blurb interested me the most. A castle in ruins in Auvergne ? A beautiful shadowy man ? What an ideal menu... on the paper, though.
If the castle keeps all its promises (if you like bling-bling luxury things forget this one, with leaks in the ceilings, half of the rooms abandoned as storage for old furniture, and obstructed chimneys), the report is far less good when it comes about Blaise : even if he really is good-looking (with hair a bit longer than usual, THANK YOU Mrs Craven!!!), between blackmail and forced kisses, he quickly makes himself despicable. Oh, he isn't the worse Harlequin vintage hero I've met through my reads, and comes to treat Andrea properly over the course of the story, but it's too late to forgive him so easily.
So, the first half of the book is really not very pleasant and only the setting saves the whole thing. The fictional castle of Saint-Jean-des-Roches even has its own legend, and the old building is almost a character on its own. Sara Craven managed to make the place feeling real, gave it a backstory and linked it to the big, real History. And that really gives a special flavor to the book.
The second half focuses on Philippe, Blaise's young nephew, soon falling under Andréa's protection. The boy really is endearing and his arrival starts the true story, which amost flirts with romantic suspense sometimes. It's really well-done and captivating, even if there's not the least mystery in there. There's no need for it anyway, as it's more about how things will turn out.
« A Place of Storms » can't be described as a bad book. It's even really good in some of its features, but its hero's behavior undoubtedly ruins the mood. In 2021, the book for sure show its age, even if it's still possible to truly enjoy it.
Let's finish by warning about the HUGE amount of typos, uncorrect punctuation and some occasional strange wording in the french edition.
Slowly but surely, I go towards the end of my vintage Harlequin box, and now reached those whose blurb interested me the most. A castle in ruins in Auvergne ? A beautiful shadowy man ? What an ideal menu... on the paper, though.
If the castle keeps all its promises (if you like bling-bling luxury things forget this one, with leaks in the ceilings, half of the rooms abandoned as storage for old furniture, and obstructed chimneys), the report is far less good when it comes about Blaise : even if he really is good-looking (with hair a bit longer than usual, THANK YOU Mrs Craven!!!), between blackmail and forced kisses, he quickly makes himself despicable. Oh, he isn't the worse Harlequin vintage hero I've met through my reads, and comes to treat Andrea properly over the course of the story, but it's too late to forgive him so easily.
So, the first half of the book is really not very pleasant and only the setting saves the whole thing. The fictional castle of Saint-Jean-des-Roches even has its own legend, and the old building is almost a character on its own. Sara Craven managed to make the place feeling real, gave it a backstory and linked it to the big, real History. And that really gives a special flavor to the book.
The second half focuses on Philippe, Blaise's young nephew, soon falling under Andréa's protection. The boy really is endearing and his arrival starts the true story, which amost flirts with romantic suspense sometimes. It's really well-done and captivating, even if there's not the least mystery in there. There's no need for it anyway, as it's more about how things will turn out.
« A Place of Storms » can't be described as a bad book. It's even really good in some of its features, but its hero's behavior undoubtedly ruins the mood. In 2021, the book for sure show its age, even if it's still possible to truly enjoy it.
Let's finish by warning about the HUGE amount of typos, uncorrect punctuation and some occasional strange wording in the french edition.
April 4, 2024
What a horrid name the hero has - Blaise - I just couldn't take it seriously. He's an ok hero - scarred and bitter (I like those), but he clearly had terrible taste in women as the OW, his former fiancée is BONKERS. I've rarely come across an OW as bad as she was for stirring trouble. I was holping she'd come to a sticky end, but as in most of these books, it doesn't happen - why is that??!
Anyway, the heroine is fine, nothing special really, sort of half everything and nothing distinct. The story is too short time wise for depth, and the hero and heroine lacked any depth, and the nephew is annoying and the OM a vague person wandering aimlessly in at points. It really lacked pace, but was ok for happy ending for the heroine (if living in a chateau that's leaking with a 5 year old who is going to be a handful and a jealous husband is your thing)... anyway...
Anyway, the heroine is fine, nothing special really, sort of half everything and nothing distinct. The story is too short time wise for depth, and the hero and heroine lacked any depth, and the nephew is annoying and the OM a vague person wandering aimlessly in at points. It really lacked pace, but was ok for happy ending for the heroine (if living in a chateau that's leaking with a 5 year old who is going to be a handful and a jealous husband is your thing)... anyway...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2017
روايات عبير
الحصن المرصود
الملخص :
الخوف ليس عاطفة ولا ردة فعل عابرة .
انه شعور عميق متجذر في النفس البشرية منذ لحظة وجود الانسان على الارض
ومواجهته اخطارها الكثيرة .
الخوف من الماضي , الخوف من الفضيحة , الخوف من الهواجس , الخوف من الفشل .
لكل خوف ظروفه وحكايته ,, واندريا التي شاءت ان ترحم ابنة عمها الطائشة
فحلت محلها في اغرب صفقة , وجدت نفسها ترتجف كورقة في مهب الريح
وسط حصن يكاد ينهار في منطقة اوفيرن الفرنسية هناك واجهت بليز صاحب الحصن
حيث تختبئ اسطورة مرعبة يكاد الزمن يكررها .. لولا سقوط الثلج لتمكنت اندريا من الفرار,
لكن الى اين وقلبها بات اسيرا في الحصن المرصود .
الحصن المرصود
الملخص :
الخوف ليس عاطفة ولا ردة فعل عابرة .
انه شعور عميق متجذر في النفس البشرية منذ لحظة وجود الانسان على الارض
ومواجهته اخطارها الكثيرة .
الخوف من الماضي , الخوف من الفضيحة , الخوف من الهواجس , الخوف من الفشل .
لكل خوف ظروفه وحكايته ,, واندريا التي شاءت ان ترحم ابنة عمها الطائشة
فحلت محلها في اغرب صفقة , وجدت نفسها ترتجف كورقة في مهب الريح
وسط حصن يكاد ينهار في منطقة اوفيرن الفرنسية هناك واجهت بليز صاحب الحصن
حيث تختبئ اسطورة مرعبة يكاد الزمن يكررها .. لولا سقوط الثلج لتمكنت اندريا من الفرار,
لكن الى اين وقلبها بات اسيرا في الحصن المرصود .
March 7, 2023
Version française : Andréa ou la peur d’aimer
Resume:
Andréa se porte au secours de sa cousine Claire qui a promis bien légèrement d’épouser Biaise Levallier. Elle doit à tout prix récupérer des lettres compromettantes. Ses recherches la mèneront au cœur de l’Auvergne, dans un château en ruine sur lequel plane une sombre légende. Mais le maître-chanteur n’est pas sans charme, et Andréa lutte contre l’amour qu’elle éprouve à son égard. Pourquoi cet homme au visage balafré doit-il se marier dans les plus brefs délais ?
Resume:
Andréa se porte au secours de sa cousine Claire qui a promis bien légèrement d’épouser Biaise Levallier. Elle doit à tout prix récupérer des lettres compromettantes. Ses recherches la mèneront au cœur de l’Auvergne, dans un château en ruine sur lequel plane une sombre légende. Mais le maître-chanteur n’est pas sans charme, et Andréa lutte contre l’amour qu’elle éprouve à son égard. Pourquoi cet homme au visage balafré doit-il se marier dans les plus brefs délais ?
December 21, 2024
"A Place of Storms" is the story of Andrea and Blaise.
This mishmash story has two parts- first is a tale of the heroine helping out her wicked cousin and becoming a mail order bride for a scarred stranger, the second is a gothic tale of the married couple dealing with a haunted room/ ancient curse, a wayward nephew and an evil cousin. Parts of it kept me engaged but the rest confused me. It was overall OK I guess? The heroine just could not make up her mind and was very judgmental towards the hero.
Meh
Safe
2.5/5
This mishmash story has two parts- first is a tale of the heroine helping out her wicked cousin and becoming a mail order bride for a scarred stranger, the second is a gothic tale of the married couple dealing with a haunted room/ ancient curse, a wayward nephew and an evil cousin. Parts of it kept me engaged but the rest confused me. It was overall OK I guess? The heroine just could not make up her mind and was very judgmental towards the hero.
Meh
Safe
2.5/5
April 24, 2020
not done reading yet.
October 11, 2020
I liked this for the more complex story; however Sara Craven gives us little insight into the hero's thinking or feelings. Usually the HEA includes both people saying how and when they fell in love but that is not here and I missed it.
Please see my much longer review here: https://www.morebooksthantime.com/a-p...
Please see my much longer review here: https://www.morebooksthantime.com/a-p...
August 27, 2021
Synopsis
Andrea tried to harden herself to her cousin Clare's appeal for help. She'd been getting her out of scrapes for too long.
Still, she couldn't just sit back and let Blaise Levallier blackmail Clare into marriage, and destroy the lives of people she loved. She could go to France and confront him. She wouldn't let him get away with it.
It wasn't quite that simple. For Blaise wanted a wife. "Your cousin has decided not to fulfill her obligation to me," he said, "so I will take you, instead!" (
Andrea tried to harden herself to her cousin Clare's appeal for help. She'd been getting her out of scrapes for too long.
Still, she couldn't just sit back and let Blaise Levallier blackmail Clare into marriage, and destroy the lives of people she loved. She could go to France and confront him. She wouldn't let him get away with it.
It wasn't quite that simple. For Blaise wanted a wife. "Your cousin has decided not to fulfill her obligation to me," he said, "so I will take you, instead!" (
July 7, 2013
لم أقرأ رواية من هذه الروايات الرومنسية المترجمة وأشعر أن حبكتها مختلفة عن سابقاتها!
المختلف -فقط- هو الأحداث وأسماء الشخصيات وأعمارهم...
أنا أنصح بقراءة رواية واحدة لتفهم المعنى التي تتضمنه هذه السلسلة الرديئة، وستستطيع معرفة ما سيحدث في الروايات المشابهة، سواء كانت روايات عبير أو غادة أو أحلام وغيرها فقط باعتمادك على قراءة الملخص ...
أما النهاية فستعرفها قبل أن تقرأ الملخص، بل ولا أبالغ إن قلت أنك ستعرفها حتى قبل معرفتك لعنوانها أو اسم كاتبتها...
المختلف -فقط- هو الأحداث وأسماء الشخصيات وأعمارهم...
أنا أنصح بقراءة رواية واحدة لتفهم المعنى التي تتضمنه هذه السلسلة الرديئة، وستستطيع معرفة ما سيحدث في الروايات المشابهة، سواء كانت روايات عبير أو غادة أو أحلام وغيرها فقط باعتمادك على قراءة الملخص ...
أما النهاية فستعرفها قبل أن تقرأ الملخص، بل ولا أبالغ إن قلت أنك ستعرفها حتى قبل معرفتك لعنوانها أو اسم كاتبتها...
February 8, 2021
Andrea tried to harden herself to her cousin Clare's appeal for help. She'd been getting her out of scrapes for too long.
Still, she couldn't just sit back and let Blaise Levallier blackmail Clare into marriage, and destroy the lives of people she loved. She could go to France and confront him. She wouldn't let him get away with it.
It wasn't quite that simple. For Blaise wanted a wife. "Your cousin has decided not to fulfill her obligation to me," he said, "so I will take you, instead!"
Still, she couldn't just sit back and let Blaise Levallier blackmail Clare into marriage, and destroy the lives of people she loved. She could go to France and confront him. She wouldn't let him get away with it.
It wasn't quite that simple. For Blaise wanted a wife. "Your cousin has decided not to fulfill her obligation to me," he said, "so I will take you, instead!"
January 2, 2025
I like this one as much as the opportunity it gives me to imagine living in a decrepit castle in France in the 70s, without central heating or electricity, on a farm commune, than for anything about the love story.
May 28, 2012
رواية تستحق القراءة
واهم ما فيها
ليس كل ما يلمع ذهبا ولا كل ما لا يلمع رخيصا
واهم ما فيها
ليس كل ما يلمع ذهبا ولا كل ما لا يلمع رخيصا
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews